PROVIDENCE — Twin River’s owners, lenders and a top Carcieri administration official have all voiced strong opposition to a bill — up for public hearing on Thursday, in the closing hours of the legislative session — that would force the Lincoln track and slot parlor to continue greyhound racing past the point in August when it will have run the minimum number of races required by state law.

Backers of the bill sponsored by Sen. Frank Ciccone, who is the field agent for the Rhode Island Laborers District Council, argue that Twin River’s planned suspension of dog racing on Aug. 8 would result in lost jobs and revenue, including lost income taxes from the 225 kennel workers, judges, parimutual clerks, concessionaires and security staff they say are in danger of losing their jobs.

Twin River disputes the numbers, saying only 47 jobs are at stake in the drive to shed a losing end of the business that cost more than five times what it raised in wagered dollars.

But the bill has emerged as a top priority of Senate leaders who, at one point on Thursday, appeared unwilling to take up the $7.76-billion budget unless and until the House acted on the dog-racing bill. It also sparked behind-the-scenes fireworks between House Speaker William J. Murphy and one of his top lieutenants, Speaker Pro Tem Charlene Lima, when she pushed for placing the dog-racing requirement in the state budget. The move would have almost certainly assured a veto by Governor Carcieri of the budget for the year that begins July 1.

In an appearance on Buddy Cianci’s radio talk show, Lima, D-Cranston, said Murphy had asked her to return the keys to her office — a perk of being a part of the Democratic leadership team.

Murphy, D-West Warwick, later played down the confrontation that he said occurred “in the heat of the late hours of the end of session.” He said: “I can say that Charlene and I did have a discussion and ... right, wrong or indifferent, it has been resolved.”

The gambling venue, with 12 greyhound kennels, an estimated 1,200 dogs and 4,751 video slots, is owned by UTGR, a subsidiary of BLB Investors, which bought the Lincoln Park dog track in 2005, and then embarked on a $220-million renovation and expansion. The partners include Kerzner International Limited, Starwood Capital Group and Waterford Group LLC.

Gary Sasse, the director of the state Department of Administration, warned House Finance Committee Chairman Steven M. Costantino, in a letter, that the state could lose upward of $25 million in needed gambling revenue if legislators interfere with the restructuring plan that Twin River’s owners, lenders and the state proposed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court earlier this week.

Under that plan, Twin River would turn over the keys to the 62-year-old track and slot parlor to its lenders, who would be free to bring in a new operator, within 120 days, unless an alternate agreement was reached.

The agreement would relieve the owners of $589 million in debt, but it would require $11 million in financial support from the state, including a new contribution to marketing costs and a previously approved player-rewards program. The deal also hinges on the legislature’s relieving Twin River of its obligation, under current law, to conduct the dog races.

By requiring at least 200 days of racing annually, the Ciccone bill would effectively block the owners from even cutting short this season.

In a letter to Costantino, Sasse wrote: “To the extent that the enactment of the legislation were to interfere with the completion of the restructuring agreement, the legislation could actually result in the BLB bankruptcy filing becoming a protracted, free-fall proceeding — as opposed to a consensual one — which could result in the state incurring millions of dollars in related expenses, as well as an estimated decrease of 10 percent or more in revenues to the state from the facility.”

The state anticipates $245 million from Twin River this year alone, so a 10 percent reduction in revenue could translate into state losses of upward of $24 million in a year. Twin River’s lawyer-lobbyist Marc Crisafulli suggested the losses could be twice that.

Sasse drew attention to “the severe decline in the level of [greyhound] wagering at Twin River over the past 15 years,” from $150 million in 1990, to the current $13 million.

In return for the $2.5 million they say it cost to run the races, and the $9.7 million subsidy paid the dog owners annually under contract, the owners say they get $1.75 million.

“The real question is who gets all of this money and why is the Assembly in this arena right now when the place is bankrupt? Why do they want to increase the burdens and obligations on the bankrupt debtor at such a precarious time in the state’s financial picture?” said Robert Goldberg, who lobbies for both Twin River and GTECH, which supplies the gambling machines.

Lawmakers readily acceded to the request by Newport Grand to be freed from having to operate jai alai to remain open as a video-slot parlor. But the bid by Twin River’s owners to cut short their racing season on Aug. 8 has run into a wall of opposition from organized labor, a team of $5,000-a-month lobbyists for the greyhound owners, including former Warwick Mayor Joseph W. Walsh, and the kennel owners who have been a reliable source of campaign contributions to Ciccone, Murphy and former Senate President Joseph Montalbano, among others.

In lieu of suspending dog racing altogether, Twin River’s owners offered to pay the dog owners a total of $2 million a year for three years to buy out the remainder of their $9 million-a-year contract; the dog owners rejected the offer.

In his letter to Costantino, Sasse said: “Given that the contract is not economically feasible for the facility, we have been advised that the bankruptcy court will in all likelihood reject the contract upon the request of BLB.”

cneedham@projo.com